I am writing this letter in reference to an article in the Albert Lea Tribune pertaining to discontinued services at the LeRoy clinic.

There was dialogue with Mayor Thiel of LeRoy and Craig Jacobson, as well as Mayo Clinic leaders. They discussed the critical shortage of clinical staff.

Mayor Thiel was concerned about the people in Wildwood Grove Adult Living Center. Mayo officials said, “We will furnish alternatives to residents with nonvisit care offerings” — such as nurse line, express care online and patient online services. They will have staff available to help patients create their patient online account services.

I am asking Mayo medical leaders: Are you aware conditions of some older generations such as macular degeneration, eyesight is affected; arthritis sometimes makes body parts (hands) rather useless; loss of hearing, which would affect phone use.

Do medical leaders know some of the older generations are not capable of the technology of today?

I had an incident a while back where a business in Albert Lea wanted to bill me $2 if I did not pay my bill on-line. I wrote to the Minnesota attorney general, and the response was: “We do not have laws pertaining to this issue.” My option was to pay the $2 or terminate the service. I opted to terminate the service.

I believe the government, whether federal, state, city, etc., should show some concern for the older generation.

I know technology is here to stay, but some of us do not want it or are not capable of learning but would still like to function with the help of medical facilities.

One thing is certain, people making decisions for the older generation now will some day be the older generation.

Good luck then, with your online patient account, when it happens to you.

Luan E. Sallee

Albert Lea